Apparatus for making cellular masses



NEW. 7 1944.

R. M. URQUHART APPARATUS Fon MAKING CELLULAR niAssEs Original Filed May26, 1937 'INVNTOR present Physical y the mma No'. 1, 1944 UNITED STATES'PATENT oFFlcs ascisse srrsas'rus Follxtgssrxsmo comme mtime Morrisprima. Monmmmvme, ra.

Application June 21, 1940,

division of application Serial No.

which is a 144,885, May 26. 1931. Divided and piioation January 15, 19B,Serial No. 472,519

My invention relates to apparatus for makina as foam or the like. Theapplication is a division of my co-pending application Serial No.341,938, for Apparatus for cellular tiled June 2l, 1940, which is inturn a division of my abandoned -appiication Serial No. 144,885, led May26, 1937, for Apparatus and method for f; cellular cellular masses, such081111131' .2, made hither-to by means oi chemical reactions, changesdue to variations in heet and pressure, or by various mechanicalmethods. Most of these means have variously proven unsetisisctory byreason of expense of equipment, chemicals. or luel. as well as frequentlack of adaptability of the apparatus to the place of application oi theproduct.

Yet, the need is great ier inexpensive means for la cellular substances,rticularly et the place of application of said substances for the usesfor which. they are intended; and in instances, there is 'an importantneed for varying the sise and integral constituents of the individualcells. Instances of such needs may be found in the nre v y sin i 1 .ineld, the building and traction industries, liquid storage elds. the iindustries, and delos involving the simulation or reproduction oidesired views auch scenic eects.

@ne object oi invention therefore is to vprovide means whereby acellular 1 t: :c such as Scam may be practically. readily andinexpensively produced in the general sesion ci a nre. for exn f, l..pug',

Another object oi myV invention is to provide me for sie -s cellularsubstances such as insulation, acoustic w, ceilings, wall fillers,

panels and the like, tor use in the buildin@ or i ematica industries.,

s, lor various purposes, have been v and a discharge conduit theapparatus shown f 'f Nami. With the above and other objects in view, myinvention co i in me :or .i il cellular 45 substance, w comp emitting aliquid capable oi suppe il: foam, in presence 0! a ses, in a manner toincrease the ace ot said as operativ to entrain the resultant mass. myinvmticn also consists in me ior produc; insf a cellular l w: whichcomprises releasing a quantity ot sas. in the presence of a ed foam p irffftins liquid. operatively to increase the ci d liquid, and edu a sesinto ripheral side wall 2| Serial No. 341,938,

this absaid liquid to form a cellular mass or foam. and dischsrsins theresultant mass.

My invention also consists in means for menu iacturins a foam dried in amanner tol retain the cellular structure of the foam in a substantiallysolid form.

My invention also consists in means for varyins the physical propertiesof the cellular mass by regulating the relative quantities of gas,liquid, or cellular mass formins substance.

More specifically my invention consists of the apparatus for making acellular substance, which comprises a closed 'container adapted to holda foam promoting liquid, a supplementary container adapted to releasegas under pressure into said liquid container, an eductor adapted tocom- :n fr a gas 'and said liquid in predetermined proportions in amanner to form a cellularmass. adapted to draw o said cellular m.

My invention further consists oi means for producinr a substantiallysolid ce ular mass .compr :s 1 a the residual puct of a 0am comprisingliquid, gaseous and cellular-mass formino constituents, with the liquidconstituent removed therefrom.

For the pur of illustrating have shown in the accom v V= -i-r i i oi'apatus which has been iound in practice to sive satisfactory andreliable resulta-although itis to be understood that the variousimtrumen- =.==w1 oi which my invention consists can be variously erredand cmd and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangemenand oreanizstions of the instrumentalities as herein shown anddescribed.

Refer-rind to the drawing in which like reference characters indicatelike parts:

e 1 represents a vertical sectional view of an aptus for making cellularmasses embody ina my invention.

Figure 2 representar7 vertics1 sectional view of in Figure l, incellular mass io operation.

i e 3 represents a sectional view oi an eductor io oi the apparatusillustrated in Figures l and 3. v

"mi, i i rep an elevational view oi a modified ce construction i, myinvention.- Y

According to my invention, I provide a con- I having a cylindrical sidewall It, bottom i1, and a removable cap I8 threaded to the container atIt, and compi-isms a base it, peand a e member 22.

Depending from the base' 2o, is a cage construction 23. This cageconstruction 23 comprises tubes 2d and 25 secured to the base 20 of thecap it, and a rod 26 threaded to the base 2t. The

tubes 2d and 25 and the rod 2t are placed concentrically about thelongitudinal axis ci' the container i5, and are equidistant from eachother.

The lower extremities of the tubes 2t and 25, and the rod 2d support aneductor 2li' in a manner hereinafter described, the upper surface ofsaid eductor iorming a support for a container 23 charsed'with gas atany pressure above atmospheric pressure. Container 28 is mounted withinthe cage iormed by the tubes 2d d 25 and the rod 2t and is adapted to beguided thereby in a longitudl fail when the container I is inverted. Thecontainer 28, has, on the neck 29 thereof, a frangible diaphragm 36D, ofsuicient strength to seal the compressed gases within the container, butyet of sufcient plasticity or frangibility to enable a pin 8i, extendingdownwardly from the base 2@ of the cap it and along its longitul axis,to puncture the diaphragm 3@ and release the compressed vgases withinthe container 2d, whenthe container id is inverted causing container 28to fall into puncturing relation to said pin d i The tube 2Q has a porti2 in a portion thereof near the top of the container lli, and the lowerpart of said tube leads into the inlet tt of the eductor 2l. 'A nozzletil is threaded to the inlet 33 so that the liquid emanating from thetube 2d passes through the nozzle into the. interior of the educator 2."A spiral baille 35 is inserted within nozzle 3d, and is oi such pitchand relation to the outlet of nozzle 3d, as to atomize, disperse,sub-divide, or otherwise increase the surface of the liquid dowlng fromsaid nozzle.

A conduit 3d extends downwardly from the educing chamber 3i to a regionnear the bottom of the containerv i5. The tube 2d is connected with thedischarge outlet of the eductor 21 in a l manner to draw oi the educedmixture. The upper end of the discharge tube- 25' extends throughy thebase 2o of cap I8, and preferably through the side wall 2i thereof. Aexible discharge hose 83 is secured at one end, to the upper extremity39.01' the discharge tube 25, and atv the other end, it may have adischarge nozzle 4U with a shut-oil valve dI. In operation, the cap I8is removed from the container id, and the rod 28 is removed therefrom. Acontainer 2B charged with compressed gas. such` as nitrogen,nitrous-oxide, carbondioxide, air, chlorine, or mixtures thereof, or thelike, under suitable pressure is then placed within the cage 23 and therod 26 replaced therein. The

accesso liquid 42 passes through the nozzle ss contain-' ing the baille35 with such force as to be broken up into ilnely subdivided streams orparticles.

container I5 is then charged with a liquid having and the cap I 8 withdischarge thereon is then replaced in a viscous qualities, cage 23mounted manner to seal the contents of the container against escapeexcept through the discharge tube 25.

When it is desired to use the apparatus, handle 2 2 is grasped by theoperator .and container. I5 is inverted. causes container 22 to fall andto be punctured by pin 2i, thereby releasing the compressed gas therein,as illustrated in Figure 2.

The escaping gas bubbles up through the liquid 42 to form a gaseousregion 43 thereabove, operatively to exert pressure downwardly upon theliquid 42 and to urge it through the port I2, tube 24, and eductor 21.At theysame time, gas is introduced from the gaseous region 42 into theeductor 2l through conduit 28. In practice, the

'nsl

This operates to entrain large amounts of'gas entering through conduit36 and to convey the resultant mixture through the discharge tube 2E tothe discharge nozzle 40. If desired, an additional pressure head may bebuilt` up by closing the shut-oli` valve 4I until the desired backpressure is obtained and then opening the shut-0H valve to release themixture therefrom. It is to be understood that in place of 'the eductor2 illustrated, there may be used an ejector, injector, Venturi tube,proportioner, or the like.

The liquid having viscous qualities may be any desired liquid which iscapable of entralning a gas. Thus, itv may be an aqueous solution oi acementitious material, such as glue, albumen, or of a saponaceousmaterial such as tannin, licorice, soap, spent sulphlte liquor, or thelike, or any material such as casein, glucose or the like, orcombinations thereofl capable of altering, forming or supporting a fllmysurface in the production of foam.

If desired, afreezing point depressant such as calcium chloride,magnesium chloride, sodium chloride or potassium carbonate may be placedin solution with the liquid to prevent the solution from freezing in thecontainer prior to the operation thereof. Moreover, if desired, acorrosion inhibitor such as potassium chromete or potassium acetate mayalso be placed in solution with the liquid tol protect the elements ofthe apparatus.

In Figure 9 is shown a modied cage construction wherein a plurality ofcompressed gas containers IIB and III are mounted within a cage 4H2having a corresponding plurality of puncturing pins I I3 in puncturingrelation to the mouths lili and I I5 of the containers H0 andi l i,respectively. This form of cage is particularly adapted for use with thegenerator of Figures 1 to 3 which is intended to Vbe inverted when it isdesired to place it in operation. In this connection, cage I I2 may hebodily mounted in cage 28 or the cage r l By my novel invention, it ispossible to change the character of the emitted cellular mass by varyingthe pressure or volume of gas introduced thereinto. Thus, forexample,but'not by way of limitation, a ratio by volume ot three partsof gas 'at average atmospheric pressure and tempersi-.ure to one ofliquid fed into the eductor or proportioner will produce a wet cellularmass having substantially wet and free owing qualities. This cellularmass is ofa specific weight much greater than that of a cellular masshaving a larger ratio of eration thereof.

A cellular mass having a ratio of ten parts-jot sas to one of liquidintroduced into the eductor or proportioner will be substantially stiff,resllient and very light weight structure, non-freeowing, but verycohesive. A cellular mass of this *ratio tends to cling toalmostany-,solid or liquid surface. It is capable of supporting fairlysubstantial 'weight and can be built up into mounds'ot substantial sizeforany of various de any desired combination gas to liquid used in thegenthe combustion thereof.

ascissa Ation of glaciers, snow scenes, mountains or rock formations,for photographic purposes. Cellular masses having a ratio of seven oreight parts of gas to one of liquid are of substantially drycharacteristics yet of suiilcient ability to flow to enable them tospread when emitted from the discharge nozzle.' Such a cellular mass isparticularly adaptable for use for nre extinguishing purposes. Thus,such foam may be poured on burning surfaces, such as volatile liquids,and will spread over such surfaces operatively to suiocate Also, such acellular mass will cling to a burning wall and is capable of forming ablanket thereon to suilocate the combustion thereof.

I Furthermore, quick-setting chemicals, such as salts, cement, plasterof Paris, or gypsum derivatives, may be introduced with the cellularmass forming substance to cause the cellular mass discharged from thegenerator quickly to solidify. Moreover, re resisting elements such assilicate of soda may also be introduced therewith.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrativeand not restrictive, the scope ofthe invention being indicated by theappended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired tobe secured by United States Letters Patentis:

1. Apparatus for making a cellular mass comprising amain containeradapted to receive a foam forming liquid and having an opentop; a capfor closing said opentop; an auxiliary container filled with compressedgas and having a frangible portion; meanscarried by said cap fornormally, slidingly supporting said auxiliary con.

conduit opening into said main container and connected to saidproportioner for supplying a gas to said proportioner; means forpuncturing the frangible portion of said auxiliary container so as torelease Vsaid gas within said m'ain container; a handle adapted to begrasped by an operator for inverting said main container to itsoperative position thereby puncturing said auxiliary container andreleasing said gas whereupon said liquid an'd said gas now through theirrespective conduits under the influence of the gas pressure and throughsaid proportioner where they commingle to form a foam which isdischarged into said foam discharge conduit; and means for directing theresulting foam tothe desired point.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the puncturing meanscomprises a pointed formation formed' on said cap;

3. Apparatus for making a cellular mass comprising a main containeradapted to receive a foam forming liquid: an container nlled withcompressed gas and supported in said main container; foam forming meansproviding a cage for supporting said'auxiliary container and comprisinga proportioner for mixing said liquid and gas to form a foam andproviding a seat for said' auxiliary container, a liquid supply conduitcarried by said main container and connected to the inlet end of saidproportioner to support said inlet end and having an outlet nozzleadapted to discharge a dispensed stream of said liquid into saidproportioner, a foam discharge conduit carried by said main containerand connected to the outlet end of said proportioner to support saidoutlet end. a removable rod connected to said main container and saidproportloner to retain said auxiliary container on said 'seat inslidable relation to said liquid supply conduit, said foam dischargeconduit and said rod and a gassupply 40 conduit connected to saidproportioner adjacent foam; means for puncturlng said a tainer in aninoperative position in the liquid in its outlet end to supply gas tosaid proportioner soas to commingle saidliquidandgastoform a containerupon inversion of said main container to release said gas whereby saidliquid and said gas are forced through said proportioner by the pressureof said gas to form foam: and means for directing said foam to a desiredpoint of application.

